SPRING PRACTICE PERIOD: Stories from the Lotus Sutra

Dogen-Zenji so cherished the Lotus Sutra that he actually carved a selection of it into his door. This, the core text of not only Zen but the whole of Mahayana Buddhism, has never lost its appeal among practitioners of the Way. Join us for our SPRING PRACTICE PERIOD: Stories From the Lotus Sutra led by Sensei Joshin Byrnes, Sensei Genzan Quennell

No endeavor comes without stress. No matter what we do, at times we will be met with challenges: disagreements, pressures, mistakes, moments of forgetfulness, fatigue, anger — the list goes on. But I’ve seen that we can train ourselves to more skillfully cope with the obstacles that come our way and pull through.

We can learn to observe and identify our challenges, and choose to grow from our mistakes by shifting our thoughts and behaviors when necessary. In other words, we can choose to change our relationship to the challenges we will inevitably undergo by expanding our awareness. From there, we can learn to live a life guided by wisdom, tolerance, and compassion.

It is in this life that we can observe and simply get to know our stress, rather than feel overcome by it. Most importantly, we can learn to begin again without rumination or regret.

Ironically, the importance of cultivating this kind of resilient stance is perhaps most essential for those who already have a strong sense of compassion and purpose in their lives. When we feel a strong emotional investment in the things we are doing and the goals we are making, it can become even more difficult to set healthy boundaries and feel a sense of balance.

In particular, I’m thinking of caregivers. I’ve been leading meditation retreats for caregivers for many years, and I remain fascinated by the work. Whether they are nurses, doctors, hospice workers, therapists or teachers, parents, or adult children taking care of their parents, I’ve always been moved by the fact that individuals in caregiving roles often express at least some feeling of privilege in their work. They tend to describe feeling connected and invested in their role, regardless of how hard it can get, and in spite of inevitable periods of exhaustion.

Even with this strong connection to their work, individuals in caregiving roles face notable challenges in their work that are basically central to the job description. These challenges lead to heartbreak at times, loneliness at other times, and, most often, some amount of burnout. For these reasons, caregiving is a unique kind of work in that it literally requires the practice of compassion, opening one’s heart, on the job. In order to set healthy boundaries with their work and find a sustainable way to practice self-care amidst caring for others, cultivating resilience is especially crucial for caregivers.